Disc drive machines record and reproduce information stored on a recording media. With the rapidly expanding development of personal computers into the field of first what were termed portable, then lap-top, and now notebook size computers, there has been a tremendous demand for maintaining the performance of the disc drive systems of such computers. The major development in this direction has been the development of smaller Winchester-type disc drives as replacements and enhancements to floppy disc drives for program storage. The Winchester disc drive, in general, provides higher capacities and faster speeds of operation, factors which are of great importance of the effective use of personal computers running advanced software packages.
Conventional Winchester-type disc drives include a plurality of vertically-aligned, rotating information storage discs, each having at least one associated magnetic head that is adapted to transfer information between the disc and an external computer system. The information storage discs are journaled about a spindle motor assembly capable of rotating the discs at high speeds. The heads are carried by a plurality of vertically-aligned, elongated flexure arms that in turn are carried by a head positioner assembly. The head positioner assembly is adapted to move the heads back and forth in unison across the face of the vertically-aligned discs. The head positioner assembly is traditionally either rotationally mounted, or take the form of a carriage that is free to move back and forth along a single axis. In either case, the head positioner assembly is adapted to precisely position the heads relative to the magnetic information storage discs.
The spindle motor assembly includes a rotatable spindle hub that is carried by a fixed spindle shaft securely mounted to the housing. A plurality of information storage discs are journaled about the spindle hub. Spacer discs are provided between adjacent information storage discs. The vertically aligned information storage discs are clamped to the spindle hub by a disc clamp secured by a plurality of screws.
The disc clamp is fabricated as a single piece of material and provides, on its surface opposed to the information storage disc, an ideal site for applying balancing weights. The prior art teaches that balancing weights are secured to the disc clamp by means of a strip of tape with adhesive qualities on opposite sides. Operational and passive vibration and shock absorption requirements are currently constrained by the ability of the adhesive tape strip to secure the individual balancing weights. Additionally, the height characteristics of the balancing weights could pose height clearance limitations.
Although only one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein, it should be understood that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Particularly, it should be appreciated that a wide variety of materials, each having unique and distinctive characterics, may be used to form the information storage disc balance weight. Additionally, although the invention has been described in conjunction with its application to a particular Winchester-type disc drive, it should be appreciated that the disc balance weight design described may be applicable to a wide variety of information storage devices having widely varying designs of their components. Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.